South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1887-05-13
CUBAN LAW.
An Incident in Havana Illus.
trattn0 It's Peculiarly.
Persons Deprived of Liberty for Going to
Dying Mans Assistance

Tie shrill whistle Of ono of the
Havana policemen attracted the attca-
ton Of the people who were dining in
the principal hot,l of Havana the other
night, and half of them followed the
clerks and portcrs cut on the sidewalk.
Directly in front of the hotel is little
was man writhing about and digging
his fingers into the ground in his agony.
He moaned constantly. lie was dying.
At distance OF perhaps 20 feet from
him were four policemen, with their
arms folded, smoking cigarettes and
keeping an alert eye on all pedestrians.
II man approached the poor wretch
who was dying there he was STORMY
warned of. The Americans who had
been dining in the hotel started toward
the man in the park in body, but they
were pushed and led back by the hotel
employees amid considerable excitement.
you mustn't 90 there" said one of
the interpreters earnestly.
why noii' asked hurley and good
naturcd Newark physician, moving for
ward again. "Thc mans got cramps
probably frcm hungcr-and little aid
now would probably savs his life.
don't propose to stand here and sec him
die"
"No, no. Don't 20 over there. LIS
ten to me. know it will be very scri-
Gus for you if you"
But the Jerscyman pushed ahead, fol-
lowed by his countrymen. while the in
terprcter rushed into tho hotel after an
American merchant who has lived here
for thirty years, anil who has a wide
knowledge OF Cuban afTdirs This gen
tleman ran out without his hat and
called to his coun,rymen in such an au
thoritativc way that they returned to the
hotel again slowly.
''Stay here" lie said shortly, sand
keep away from all such scenes rs that
while you arc in Cuba. The Spanish
laws of 800 years ago are still in force,
which call for the arrests of witnesses to
any crime or trageiy-"
''But the man is dying" protested
the Jerseyman.
81 can see that plainly enough. He is
either dying of sickness or he has been
stabbed in the back by some enemy.
The coroner has been sent for and he
will probably be here in two hours.
Meanwhile, il it is 4 murder tho police
will have TO max, some arrests TO satisfy
their supcriors. God help the men that
they take into custody. Prisoners here
are kept in Jail months and months
and foul jai at that--wi;hout any RE-
Iimin1ry examination or commitment by
magistrate, and then they arc tried
without being allowed to be present at
their trials. Witnesses arc not cross
examined, and sentence is executed be-
lore there IL chance FOR stay of pro.
cecdings. Look about here. You can
see thousands Of people watching that
poor devils death agonics from safe dis
lance. Sec them staring from housctops,
from behind pillars and half-closcd win
lows. They are not towards, but there
| is not one among them that would dare
10 risk the consequences of going to the
aid OF that unfortunate man."
One or two other old Cuban residents
joined the group, and VIC finally went
back 10 the dining- room. The proaninp
and moaning OF :hc man was awful. 1t
all occurred in the heart Of the city of
Havana, and in n situation not unlike
that Of the fifth Avenue hotel on Madison
square, New York. l jumped into
hack and drove away from the neigh
borhood when / could stand the thing
no longer, and afterwards learned that
after two hours the man died and was
subsequently removed. lie had been
stabbed in the side. No effort was made
to get assistance for him By the brutal
police beyond sending for the coroner.
Two men were arrested, and they are
, now in Jail. Everywhere there is crime.
The Spanish Iun the city by military
force and they make profound failure
Of it. 1t is undoubtedly the worst
governed city in the world. Three
murders were committed in two DAYS
last week. The papers had no mention
of them. It's against the orders of the
government to print news [Bakcly
Hall
UrffT{no ConJa